Friday March 31, 2006

Much change over the years

AFTER her SPM, Maggie Yong had two options – nursing or teaching. She chose to become a teacher and has no regrets after over 20 years in the profession.

“I find teaching a fulfilling career, especially when I see how my pupils have progressed,” she said.

In the 9MP, the Government is continuing with its programme to upgrade teachers’ qualifications, with a target of 25% graduates in primary school by 2010. Yong, however, had decided against a degree years ago.

“I am content with my decision. Initially, I wanted to do a degree like many of my colleagues but I decided that it would be too stressful as I wanted to concentrate on my job and bring up my family,” said the mother of two.

Over the years, Yong, of SK Hicom, Shah Alam, has seen much change in Malaysian schools.

Among the major policy initiatives in the past five years under the Eight Malaysia Plan (8MP) was the Smart School project. The 9MP will see the implementation of several other ICT initiatives.

Another major policy move during the 8MP has been the introduction of the teaching of Mathematics and Science in English, with all Maths, Science and English teachers given laptops.

“Knowledge-wise we are better off and more exposed to IT and I would say 60% of teachers use it on a regular basis. All pupils are expected to use the computer laboratory for a minimum of one hour per week. They really enjoy it,” said Yong.

However, according to her, a less positive development is the increasingly heavy workload of teachers.

The competition to get good results in the UPSR is evident in many primary schools. In Yong’s school, Year Six teachers finish the syllabus by June and focus on the exam format for the rest of the school year.

“Yes, we are teaching for exam purposes as the pressure is for pupils to score. Although the ministry no longer identifies the top schools, parents still want to know the school’s percentage of passes and the number of straight As.”

Given existing conditions, she also believes the Government will have an uphill task making national schools the school of choice with the objective of promoting national unity as stated in the 9MP.

In her school, for example, more than 90% of the student body is bumiputra and even the teacher population does not mirror Malaysia’s racial composition – she is one of just two non-Malays out of the 80 teachers.

Unlike the majority of Chinese parents, Yong and her husband, Richard Goh, decided to put their two children to national schools as they could not speak Mandarin and would not be able to help the children with schoolwork.

“I think most Chinese parents send their children to Chinese schools because of economic rather than cultural reasons. China is booming,” said Goh, a general manager.

Yong’s first posting was to Kerteh, Terengganu, in 1985.

Back then, conditions there were poor, with no housing provided for teachers. “It was like a scene from a P. Ramlee movie – the kampung house we lived in had holes,” said Yong, who got married after a year in Terengganu and was posted to Selangor.

Under the 9MP, all newly recruited teachers will be sent to rural areas for a specified period. However, those in rural schools can expect better living conditions as RM690mil has been earmarked for the building of teachers’ quarters.

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